18
Therefore now ye shall do well to give us an answer thereto.
19
And this is the copy of the letter which Arius sent to Onias.
20
Arius, king of the Lacedemonians to Onias the high priest, greeting:
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It is found in writing that the Lacedemonians and Jews are brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham.
22
Now therefore, since this has come to our knowledge, you shall do well to write unto us of your prosperity.
23
We write back again to you that your cattle and goods are ours, and ours are yours. We command, therefore, our ambassadors to make report unto you in this way.
24
Now when Jonathan heard that Demetrius' princes had come to fight against him with a greater host than before,
25
he removed from Jerusalem and met them in the land of Hamath; for he gave them no respite to enter his country.
26
He sent spies also unto their tents, who came back and told him that they were appointed to come upon them in the night season.
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Therefore as soon as the sun was down, Jonathan commanded his men to watch and to be armed, that all the night long they might be ready to fight; also he sent forth sentinels round about the host.
28
But when the adversaries heard that Jonathan and his men were ready for battle, they feared and trembled in their hearts, and they kindled fires in their camp.